Consider Jesus’ instructions to the disciples he sends out: “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money – not even an extra tunic (Luke 9:3). In a Middle Eastern culture of hospitality, the disciples could expect to receive invitations and provisions from others; but this welcome was not guaranteed. Jesus sent the disciples on a journey of vulnerability as well as one of authority.
The disciples had something to offer: the ability to heal and cast out evil spirits, as well as the good news of God’s kingdom. Yet they also needed something from the communities they visited. This created the conditions for mutual relationship, allowing everyone the opportunity to respond to God’s gifts.
It is human to find comfort in our packing lists: to seek control over the unknown by preparing for every conceivable circumstance, so that we do not need to be reliant on anyone else. I believe God knows this and understands it, even as Jesus is gently telling us: You can put some of this down. Trust that in going where I send you, I will be with you; and you will find what you need.
This message is excerpted from the Bible study “Holy places” by Meghan Johnston Aelabouni in the November/December 2023 Gather magazine.
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